By Mohamad El Sahily | Staff Writer
On Wednesday, February 15th, students at the American University of Beirut (AUB) protested the derailment of the Beirut Blast probe in front of Main Gate. The protest was organized by the AUB Secular Club and Change Starts Here (CSH), with members from both clubs attending. Throughout the protest, chants went up, calling for justice and accountability in the blast and attacking the culprits by name. Noticeably and unusually for a student protest, there was a significant presence from the army and the Internal Security Forces around the premises, in case of a supposed escalation by the protestors. Students were also joined by several faculty and staff from the university, some of whom had previously signed a statement that both clubs had put out in condemnation of the investigation derailment.
The judicial brawl over the blast probe recently escalated. Lebanon’s top prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat, who has recused himself from the investigation due to his relation to Ghazi Zaiter, himself under investigation, decided to re-enter the investigation and oppose the warrants and measures issued by Judge Tarek Bitar. Oueidat overruled Bitar and ordered the release of detained suspects, notably Customs chief Badri Daher, an FPM partisan. Oueidat then proceeded to issue a travel ban on Bitar and tried to have him subpoenaed and replaced by the Supreme Judicial Council, an effort which has so far not been successful at all.
In late January, protestors tried to forcibly enter the Justice Palace, only to be met with a severe crackdown by the army and the riot police. William Noun, a brother of one of the victims, was previously summoned for investigation after he allegedly made “threats” against the Justice Palace premises. This event led to nationwide condemnation against the judicial system, which was also recently provoked into action as a European probe landed in Beirut, at the behest of the European Union, to interrogate Lebanese officials on a variety of issues, especially the economic crisis and the banks’ crackdown on people’s deposits.
A thug tried to threaten one of the protestors, hurling profanities at them and threatening physical violence. He was subsequently dragged away by the army as he drew near the protestors. This is merely a manifestation of the anxiety that members of the ruling class have towards any attempt to amplify the investigation or the judicial crisis happening, enough to try and disturb a peaceful demonstration by students.
Other student protests are expected to take place in several other universities, under the same slogans in order to amplify the need for justice for more than three hundred people who lost their lives on August 4th. The existence of student protests is a promising indicator regarding the level of public interest in the Port Blast investigation and its continued efforts, a case which many have described as having lost momentum and entered oblivion, as most such cases in the country. It remains to be seen how far people are willing to advocate for the victims and their families.